On 18 November 2021, our Petrus and Greater Manchester Housing First (GMHF) teams headed to Newcastle to attend the 2021 CIH Northern Awards.
The CIH Northern Awards recognise and celebrate the creativity, passion, and innovation of housing organisations and individuals across the sector in the North of England.
Both our Petrus and GMHF teams were shortlisted as finalists in the Housing Team of the Year category, with our incredible GMHF team being announced winners on the night.
As delivery partners in the GMHF pilot, we’re working to support people who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness and with whom traditional models of working had not been successful.
The journey to move away from homelessness can be difficult, but the Housing First approach recognises that individuals with multiple and complex needs need a stable home from which to rebuild their lives.
Our GMHF team at Petrus have supported vulnerable people with a variety of complex needs from all walks of life and many who had entrenched homelessness histories. Support has included mental health wellbeing, substance misuse, physical health concerns, financial difficulties, support following trauma (including domestic abuse and sexual exploitation), offending behaviours and liaison with probation services.
We're so proud of our GMHF team and partners for delivering life-changing and life-saving support through this pilot.
We're delighted our Petrus team were also recognised and shortlisted as finalists at the award ceremony. What they have achieved to support people facing homelessness during the pandemic was nothing but exceptional. Homelessness didn’t stop, so neither did we!
There were amazing finalists alongside us in the Housing Team of the Year category, but we couldn’t be prouder of our GMHF team on their win.
Sonia Denham, Head of Petrus, said: “What a wonderful evening sharing excellent good practice and celebrating the achievements of our teams and incredible people across the region and housing sector.
“Our staff at Petrus are nothing short of amazing, inspiring, resilient, and just wow!
“Through being part of the innovative project that is GMHF, our team and partners work with such passion and determination to ensure everyone we support has somewhere to call home. Through building trust, they have supported people to defy societal expectations, develop self-belief and achieve positive change.
“Congratulations to all of the evening’s winners and finalists, it was an honour to celebrate outcomes accomplished by people working to make a difference in our communities.”
On GMHF’s win, a spokesperson from the Chartered Institute of Housing said: “This fantastic pilot has changed, and in some cases saved lives because of the unique way it has operated. It's helped people who had been repeatedly failed by services to rebuild their lives.”
To find out more about Greater Manchester Housing First, get in touch with us at petrus@petrus.org.uk or visit www.gmhousingfirst.org.uk